Florida’s Antwine to miss SEC title game

Gainesville, Fla. — No. 2 Florida will be without two defensive linemen against top-ranked Alabama in the Southeastern Conference title game.

Defensive tackle Brandon Antwine tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee Saturday at Florida State and will have season-ending surgery, coach Urban Meyer said Tuesday.

Antwine missed the first five games of the season while recovering from a back injury that required surgery and threatened his playing career. He was in the starting lineup against the Seminoles and probably would have seen significant playing time in the title game because fellow defensive lineman Matt Patchan will miss the game because of a knee injury.

“Just awful news,” Meyer said. “If there’s a comeback player of the year, it’s him. … That’s a tough deal for us. He’s like a son to me, to all of us. We all love that guy. He’s a tremendous guy and he was playing well. Everything happens for a reason. He’ll come back stronger than ever.”

Receiver Percy Harvin, meanwhile, missed practice Tuesday but Meyer said he was “getting better and better.” Harvin sprained his right ankle against the Seminoles and is considered questionable against the Crimson Tide.